Chapter 137 - Finally

"Uhm, Ramiris?" Dino called awkwardly as he floated, his body bound by what he could only assume was the power of the spirits under the Spirit Queen's control.

"Hello?" He looked around. The surroundings were dark, like he was sealed in some kind of isolated dimension. "Wait, I really am, aren't I?! Ramiris! Ramiris-chan! Ramiris-sama, don't seal me in here!"

Panic rose as minutes passed without any response from the Spirit Queen. He struggled to move, but the bindings wouldn't budge even slightly. He sighed and resigned himself to waiting for Ramiris to release him.

"Maybe it's taking longer to remove the control over me?" he speculated aloud as more time went by. He attempted to use his skills to dispel the seals, but nothing worked. "Even my ultimate skills are sealed..."

His signature swords were missing too, no doubt kept somewhere safe and far from his reach. A wise move, especially for someone like him, once hailed as the greatest swordsman during Veldanava's era.

"I wonder if those two are doing better than me," he muttered, thinking of the other seraphs who came with him. If Ramiris was fighting him, then the others were likely facing off against strong opponents as well.

"Is there even anyone nearby who could go toe-to-toe with those two?" His mind flashed to the chaotic demonesses on the battlefield. "Did they return?"

As he continued to float lazily, gravity suddenly returned, and he crashed face-first onto the floor. "Ow."

Raising his head, he saw Ramiris standing nearby, along with three others.

"What the hell are you two doing here? Aren't you supposed to be doing something?" Dino grumbled, wriggling upright as he looked at Zaloria and Obera standing behind her.

"Let's begin," said Ciel, who stepped forward and grabbed Dino's head with both hands.

"Ah.! wait! I don't want to experience 'Nightmare'!" He jumped back, spinning around and scrambling to escape. "I've heard about it! You turn spiritual beings' minds into mush by traumatizing them with weird and terrifying stuff! No, let go!"

Fed up, Zaloria moved in and kicked him mid-run. Dino's body flew toward Ciel. Before he could flee again, Obera grabbed his shoulders, holding him still as Ciel seized his head.

"Force Evolution," Ciel said calmly. Dino immediately passed out, his body twitching and shivering as seconds ticked by.

Obera and Zaloria exchanged glances and gave Ciel a silent nod, both approving the use of a little "nightmare" on the overly dramatic fallen angel.

"I think that should be enough, right?" Ramiris placed a hand on her cheek, watching with some pity as the gray-haired angel spasmed lightly.

With a snap of Ciel's fingers, Dino jolted awake, screaming. The bindings vanished. He looked around, hugging himself. "What was that?! You actually did it!"

He scrambled away from Ciel, pointing at her with wide eyes.

"Enough with the theatrics. Did it work, Dino?" Zaloria interrupted, frowning.

Dino paused, then checked over his body and tested his skills. After a moment, he nodded. "Yeah... I'm free now."

"That's good to hear." Ramiris let out a sigh of relief. "I thought I'd have to kill and revive you until it worked."

"Uh... yeah, no need for that. I am very much free now," he said quickly, shaking his head in disapproval. "What about the two?"

"Gracia and Pico are in the other room," Obera replied, pointing to a side door. "They don't seem to be controlled, only you were."

"That's good to hear," he said, then slumped to the floor, eyes staring up at the ceiling. "So... what now?"

...

"Kuahahaha!" Veldora roared with laughter in his dragon form as he looked at the Evil God, Dagruel. "Well then, old friend, shall we begin?"

Ashura, with Dagruel retaining his mind through unification with his brothers, smirked as he cracked his knuckles. With one hand gripping Glassord's blade, he pointed it at the true dragon and took a powerful swing.

The aura-filled slash cleaving toward Veldora shattered as fierce wind surged around his form. With a mighty flap of his wings, a gust exploded outward, blinding the surroundings. Veldora soared upward.

Ashura looked up, tracking him. Taking a stance, he stepped back with his left leg. All the arms on his left side clenched their fists as energy surged through them.

A forceful blast of energy shot into the sky. Three glowing aura-filled missiles flew straight at Veldora.

"Woah!" Veldora twisted midair, dodging two of the strikes. The third one struck him, a low groan escaping his throat as a scorched mark appeared on his scaled chest.

He opened his mouth wide, raising his head as dark clouds gathered above. Magicules and aura condensed in his throat. Lowering his head toward Ashura, he unleashed a sweeping breath attack.

"Thunderstorm!"

Ashura scoffed and leapt to the side, landing with a thunderous thud. His knees bent, he forced strength into his legs and sprang into the sky.

The ground sank beneath him, forming a crater from the sheer force. Onlookers stumbled as the earth cracked beneath their feet.

"Here I come!" Ashura bellowed, rapidly closing the distance between himself and the storm dragon, who braced with his claws raised.

Ashura activated flight and reached for Veldora's body. The two collided midair, grappling.

Veldora lashed out, claws raking across Ashura's body. His talons pierced two of the arms, drawing a pained grunt from the three-headed being.

Ashura, unfazed, used another arm to grip Veldora's head as the dragon began gathering energy again. With the hand holding the blade, he drove it toward Veldora's chest.

Veldora roared as lightning cracked across the sky. The dark clouds screamed with thunder as black bolts struck around them.

"Ahh!" Glassord and Fenn shouted in unison. The hands on Veldora loosened. Dagruel's eyes narrowed, and he drove the blade forward.

The weapon pierced deep.

Veldora kicked Ashura away with both legs, sending the giant reeling. The blade slipped free, leaving a deep wound.

Twisting in the air, Veldora's tail swept toward Ashura, conducting black lightning. The tail slammed into his side, sending the Evil God flying.

"That hurts!" Veldora growled, pressing a claw to the wound. He flapped his wings hard, gathering violent gusts around him.

Cyclones began to swirl, centered on his position. Massive tornadoes descended slowly from above.

Ashura found himself trapped. Each step toward Veldora was blocked by destructive winds. His expression darkened. Even his hardened skin began to show signs of strain.

He spread his arms and activated his innate ability, dispersing the storm spell around him. "Death Heralding Wind" dissipated, rendered null.

The moment the air cleared, he spotted massive lightning spheres hurtling toward him. He thrust his arms forward to dispel them, swinging his blade in defense.

Above, Veldora's laughter echoed again.

"Kuahahaha!"

He descended at breakneck speed, magicules building in his jaws for another breath.

Seeing this, Ashura released the chains from his waist. He grabbed Gleipnir and snapped it forward like a whip. The sealing chain shot toward Veldora's head and wrapped around his mouth, sealing it shut.

"Mmm!?" Veldora's eyes widened in surprise. The energy in his mouth backfired slightly, and lightning shot through the chain. Ashura winced but held firm.

Gripping the chain with all five arms, Ashura pulled. Veldora, already diving, sped up even more. Ashura braced himself.

He pulled his arms back, energy building.

"Seismic Wave!"

Ashura's fists smashed into Veldora's body , one hit after another, striking his head, chest, and shoulder with devastating force.

Veldora roared. The chain slackened for a moment, but Ashura began reeling it in again, trying to bind the dragon entirely.

Then Veldora lunged forward and grabbed Ashura.

Ashura's eyes widened. He braced, expecting another breath.

Instead, Veldora bit into his shoulder.

Ashura screamed, the force of the dragon's jaw overwhelming even his divine resilience. Veldora's wings beat furiously, and the two began to fall.

Mid-fall, sharpened wind from Veldora's wings sliced across Ashura's body, tearing through him as pain surged across the battlefield.

Electricity surged from Veldora's mouth, traveling through his bite and into Ashura's form. The energy erupted outward, overwhelming Ashura's ability to resist.

The two titans slammed into the ground with explosive force.

A massive cloud of dust shot into the sky. The ground shook beneath them.

Silence fell across the battlefield. Spectators on both sides held their breath, waiting to see who would rise from the crater.

As the dust began to settle, two shapes slowly came into view.

The figures lay motionless. Then came the cries—

"Glassord-sama! Fenn-sama!"

The two brothers were unconscious, each missing an arm. Their faces twisted with pain as they lay still.

Footsteps echoed. Veldora and Dagruel approached one another.

Dagruel had returned to his regular giant form. Veldora now stood in his human form, enlarged to match Dagruel's towering frame.

"Kuahahaha! So this is how it ends, as expected," Veldora said, cracking his knuckles and looking up at the blue-haired giant. "What do you say, Dagruel? Like old times?"

Dagruel looked at him, then down at his own battered form. A sigh escaped him. He dug his feet into the ground and raised his fists.

"Yeah. This is how it should end."

The two began to run toward each other.

What followed could only be described as both godly and horrifying.

Veldora's fist slammed into Dagruel's face. Dagruel's fist struck Veldora's midsection. Both stumbled, then clashed again.

Punches. Kicks. Headbutts. They fought like gods, unfazed by pain, driven by their desire to win.

Bloodied, breathless, they pressed on.

Their fists collided with their faces and staggered once again.

Veldora ducked, swept Dagruel's legs, and sent him crashing down. He jumped onto him and began bashing blows, fists rising and falling in a barrage of brutality.

Dagruel, half-conscious, responded with a headbutt, knocking Veldora back just enough to regain his footing.

He rose with a limp and kicked Veldora away, slamming him into the distant wall.

"Hahh... hahh..." Dagruel panted, dragging one foot.

Veldora stood. One arm hung limp. One eye was closed, blood trickling down.

"Dagruel."

"Veldora."

With fists clenched, they charged.

The clash reverberated, and they poured every ounce of strength into that final blow.

"Give up... Veldora. I'm stronger than you. The chances of your victory are lower than mine," Dagruel smirked, his arm outstretched as he forced Veldora backward, slamming him through the wall and into the far side of the battlefield.

Veldora halted, his feet digging deep into the earth, anchoring him in place. A confident grin spread across his face as he locked eyes with the giant.

"Kuahahaha... Dagruel, when it comes to chances.. I can rewrite the odds!"

With a final roar, Veldora twisted his body and unleashed an empowered punch.

Dagruel's fist began to buckle, cracks spreading through it as Veldora's own pushed forward, forcing its way past Dagruel's arm, which twisted unnaturally under the pressure. The force of the strike didn't stop, it continued its relentless assault and drove into Dagruel's chest, the sheer power reverberating through his massive frame. Veldora's arm sank deep, pressing forward with vigor, the blow leaving Dagruel frozen in place.

His eyes widened, mouth slightly open, as his expression locked in a moment of pure shock.

Pulling his arm back, Veldora found his fist crushed from the collision with Dagruel's fist earlier. The giant finally fell down, heaving as he looked at Veldora.

"I'm still alive," He questioned as he observed Veldora walking towards him. "Why?"

"I never planned on killing you old friend." A bright, yet bloodied, smile appeared on Veldora's face. "As soon as this war is over, you'll be more delighted to witness the barren lands prosper firsthand."

Dagruel scoff as his vision grew dim, he was close to losing consciousness. "Is that so? I can't wait."

With those last words, he closed his eyes.

Veldora looked around and raised his injured arm. "Storm Dragon Veldora won!"

He looked around, "Hey, hey did anyone see that! I was so cool wasn't I? Luminous, Hinata, everyone!"

He stopped in his tracks as he found them not moving. "Wait.. is time stopped?! Did anyone even see my grand battle with Dagruel?"

He fell to his knees, tears welling up as he slammed his broken hand to the ground. "This isn't fair! Who stopped time!"

A/N: Originally I was going to comment how much I hated writing this chapter before actually writing it but...

Surprisingly I kind of enjoyed writing this one. Maybe its because I stopped thinking about spiritons, nullifications, and their concept abilities and just wrote a physical brawl with magic.